


Home Where We Belong

by E2206



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of PTSD, Post S3, mentions of torture, pre 4.10
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 18:42:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11811972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E2206/pseuds/E2206
Summary: 4 months ago was the last time Cosima laid eyes on Delphine Cormier, oblivious to the doctor's fate. 26 days after learning that Delphine could in fact be alive Cosima finds herself reunited with the love of her life, but everything couldn't be further from okay.





	Home Where We Belong

_“I need you to tell me Delphine’s alive.”_

_“I can’t do that, love.”_

_“Tell me what happened to Delphine Cormier.”_

_“Delphine Cormier was shot dead at the DYAD parkade.”_

_“What about her?”_

_“Delphine was alive when they took her away.”_

_“If she’s alive we’ll find her.”_

26 days later Cosima found herself perched on a stool in the Rabbit Hole. In her hand is the Neolution worm “bot” that had been the only source of research they had since Kendall Malone was terminated. The flashbacks still occurred daily, but there was one thing she kept reminding herself. If she hadn’t agreed to assist Susan Duncan, or as she came to learn Evie Cho, they never would’ve successfully removed Sarah’s worm and she could have lost her. Although losing Kendall was not easy for anyone in clone club – it almost confirmed that they were doomed for finding a cure before Cosima succumbs to the terminal disease rattling in her chest. 26 days ago her process for accepting her own fate as well as Delphine’s possible future hit her like a cold, Toronto winters night.

“Cosima.”

“Y-yeah?” She stuttered, clearly knocked out of thought. She placed the glass “bot” bottle down and folded her arms securely across her chest. Her cardiac interior was ready to collapse in a single breath as the chair across the bench was dragged back and accompanied. _It happened._

“I want you to listen to me,” Siobhan started cautiously. _This is definitely it_ , “it wasn’t easy. Her location was well hidden, somewhere we on our own never would’ve imagined searching. MK is not to blame for not acting sooner-”

“She’s dead?”

“Cosima…”

“Oh god, she’s dead,” the heavy sob rattled her body. Gentle hands removed her own from her vision and enclosed them in a warm reassurance.

“No, chicken. She’s alive.”

Now, 2 hours later, Cosima found herself wandering through what seemed an endless maze of halls. She had waited to flee to the hospital until Art had given her clearance, but to her surprise a phone call from the hospital required her attention at the facility sooner.

“Cosima Niehaus, I was called as an emergency contact of Delphine Cormier.”

“Miss Niehaus, partner of Delphine Cormier?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure.”

“I’m Simon,” the young man requested his hand, “I’ve been on rotation since Miss Cormier arrived. I’m your guy.”

Cosima shook his hand eagerly, “great, could you take me to her please?” With a simple nod Simon marched ahead of the brunette, “I have to ask,” he began as they walked into the northward, “there wasn’t a missing persons on your partner…”

“That seems like more of an accusation rather than a question.”

With the spin of his left foot the duo found themselves navigating into the westward. It was quiet and glass panels instead of plastered walls structured the rooms. It was the ICU.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything I just…” Simon paused in a halt, “4 months is a long time for someone to be missing and not be reported.”

Cosima exhaled heavily at the unintentional distraction, “I have a friend who is a detective. She was reported under a need-to-know basis. She was involved with a high-tech organization that of which does not like leaving loose ends once a betrayal has occurred. We never stopped looking for her.”

Simon accepted the explanation with a brief nod and turned to his right, “here she is.”

Cosima knew in less than 2 seconds that this woman was not her Delphine. The body on the other side of the transparent glass was frail, almost lifeless. She wouldn’t be able to count the amount of tubes and wires that presented themselves over her soul mates body with both hands. She placed her hand on the glass. Tears were already betraying her before she could prepare herself.

“The detective said she was tortured within the last 2 days. She’s lucky to be alive.”

She felt betrayed that Art hadn’t called to let her in on the details sooner. Dare she asks, Cosima’s lip quivered, “what did they do to her?”

“Upon arrival she was in severe respiratory distress, her lungs were full with fluid she could hardly breathe. I would associate that with-”

“Water-boarding,” she intercepted, her breath escaping without permission.

“Yes,” Simon agreed, “63% of her upper-quadrant is burnt. Further examination proved the injuries were from a high-voltage device used in prolonged timing. There is a large amount of underlying scar tissue as well, most probably from the electrocution some time ago. Both shoulders were dislocated and her right humerus is snapped completely. We’ve treated those injuries on patients who were hung by their wrists at a high altitude for long amounts of time, possibly days.”

“Oh god,” Cosima released a sob. She couldn’t begin to imagine the pain, the fight Neolution would have put up against Delphine. Times when she was forced into drowning, succumbing to suffocation. Moments when she was burnt to the flesh and hung for hours on end, _possibly days_. Did she imagine death? Did she beg for it?

“Her organs present acute damage, she was probably drugged repeatedly over the months – there are traces of cyclobarbitone and amphetamine sulphate in her system which is also a torture method.”

“Barbiturates and amphetamines, slow the heart right down, and explode it to action,” she paused and watched the machine breathe for Delphine, “How did she survive?”

“Hell if knew, to be honest. I’ve never seen anything like this. Whatever she was fighting for, it was a battle worth winning.”

Cosima walked to the automatic door and was welcomed into the quite room. The only sounds that filled the air were the monitors and ventilator. Simon guided Cosima to the armchair positioned to the left of Delphine.

“We’re leaving her intubated until tomorrow evening when she’ll have surgery to align and plate her humerus back into position. Her blood oxygen saturation levels are still quite low and she’s presenting signs of infection so she’s under close observation.”

“Won’t the surgery be too much of a risk if there’s an infection?”

“At the moment we’re only suspecting infection, she could very well be in withdrawals from the drugs. If her blood work confirms infection then her surgery will be postponed.”

_“I know why you did everything you did, to Shay, everything. I’m sorry I made you make those hard choice and then blame you for them.”_

_I’m so sorry, Delphine_. Cosima cradled the blonde’s left hand between her own and brought them to her lips. _I should’ve stopped you_. _I knew something wasn’t right._ After Simon finished examining Delphine’s vitals he left without a word.

The ventilator was unbearable for Cosima to listen to, knowing the French woman wasn’t well enough to support her own body. She couldn’t have imagined how the last 4 months occurred for Delphine. Would she remember much? Was she brainwashed? Would she remember too much?

**Author's Note:**

> This was just a little something I started writing before the season 4 finale. Let me know in the comments if you'd like me to continue - I'm more than happy to. :)


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